As Supergirl tracks toward a weak box office debut, controversy surrounding star Milly Alcock has returned to the spotlight.
The actress recently drew criticism online after comments about Christian dads circulated on social media, with some critics suggesting the controversy may be affecting interest in the film.
Now, a former Superman actor has entered the conversation, criticizing Alcock and sparking renewed debate among DC fans.
Highlights
- Superman actor criticized Milly Alcock's ‘Christian dads’ remarks, reigniting debate among DC fans.
- Fans clashed online over whether Alcock's comments were being misrepresented.
- Amid the controversy, Supergirl faces concerns over its projected box-office performance.
However, his remarks may have had the opposite effect, prompting some fans to revisit Alcock's original comments and question whether the backlash has gone too far.
“Did Milly Alcock really attack Christian dads?” one fan asked.
Former Superman actor fires back at Milly Alcock’s controversial comments
Image credits: Bobby Bank/Getty Images
Last month, Milly Alcock faced backlash for her comments about receiving online attacks from male fans. The actress had previously drawn criticism for discussing her experiences as a woman in a fan space largely dominated by men.
In an interview with Variety, the Australian actress revealed that many of the negative online comments about her came from anonymous social media accounts, particularly individuals identifying as Christian dads.
Former Superman actor Dean Cain reacted to the Supergirl controversy during an appearance on The Benny Show podcast.
Image credits: Warner Bros.
The 59-year-old actor criticized the young star over her remarks.
"I didn't even know her name…I really have no desire to know her name as a Christian dad," he said.
Cain compared the situation to the backlash surrounding Rachel Zegler's comments about Snow White. He slammed Alcock for alienating a huge portion of the film’s potential audience with her “awful” comments.
“It doesn’t make sense to me. It's not going to work in the long run," Cain added.
Dean Cain’s Supergirl criticism sparks heated debate among fans online
Image credits: ABC Photo Archives/Getty Images
Cain's comments attracted significant attention online due to his long history with DC projects. He previously played Clark Kent in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and Kara Zor-El’s father in The CW show Supergirl.
However, the actor’s response led to several fans questioning whether Alcock had actually attacked Christian dads.
On X, several users defended the actress while accusing Cain of misinterpreting her remarks.
Image credits: David Becker/Getty Images
“The problem I have with some of you is that you get to insult her all you want, but the moment she says something bad, OMG, she's attacking the audience,” one person wrote.
Another commented, “This is BS, and I'm faaaar right. It misrepresents what she in fact said.”
“The fact that they got riled up about Milly Alcock’s comments literally just proves her point too lol,” a third added.
Despite support for Alcock, one section of the fanbase remained convinced that her comments were problematic and would affect the film's box-office fate.
Milly Alcock explains what makes Supergirl different from Superman
Image credits: Warner Bros.
Amid continued discussion surrounding Alcock's comments, Box Office Theory reported that Supergirl was projected to open below expectations at the box office.
The film is projected to earn less than half of what Superman made worldwide last year and could ultimately struggle to turn a profit for DC Studios.
In an interview with Empire, Alcock spoke about the tough act of following in the footsteps of Supergirl’s more famous cousin.
Image credits: Warner Bros.
She explained that although the two characters share similar origins and abilities, Supergirl approaches the world very differently.
“She’s such a good contrast to Superman, because she’s a survivor of trauma in the purest sense. I was excited to play someone so beautifully flawed and resilient,” Alcock said.
Directed by Craig Gillespie, the film is loosely based on the comic book miniseries Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow by Tom King and Bilquis Evely.
Supergirl is scheduled to be released on June 26, 2026.